Few car brands have as much lustre, prestige, and provenance as Alfa Romeo, now a 113-year-old company. But, with the world the way it is today, and when carmakers are forced to create un-sexy cars and commit to necessary evils like crossovers and SUVs, how can Alfa Romeo attempt to distil everything that car enthusiasts and petrolheads love about the brand, but in a tall-riding, boxy form factor, and a huge boot. Well, Alfa has already proven us wrong before with the Stelvio, and now they aim to replicate that success with the Tonale. It’s arguably Alfa Romeo’s most important car to date, as an attainable crossover and an accessible point of entry into the Alfa brand.
It’s not enough to rely on just the Alfisti alone for sales, after all. But, could the Tonale compact crossover give us that quintessential Alfa Romeo soul and feel? On the surface, it certainly has the makings of one, pairing a peppy little inline-4 engine, and like the Tonale we have here today, a plug-in hybrid. It has the luxurious and stylish interior you’d want in an Alfa but paired with as much practicality and versatility as competing small SUVs on the market offer. To my eyes, it looks good, too! Opting to get an Alfa over a competitor in the £40,000 to £50,000 price range is a bold, left-field choice, indeed. However, as we’ll take a closer look now, it might still be worth it.
What Is The Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce PHEV About?
Placed below the Stelvio in Alfa’s now-expanding range of SUVs and crossovers, the Tonale is a fairly compact machine. Thankfully, as we’ll see later when we tour the cabin, the Tonale is (almost) the perfect size for most people. That’s unless you absolutely need the extra boot space, rear passenger room, or added performance of the Stelvio. As far as appearances are concerned, consider me smitten with how the Tonale looks. I’m sure it must’ve been hard to design a good-looking car while also embodying those traditional Alfa Romeo elements, and translating that into a crossover.
Yet, with the Tonale, I dare say Alfa’s nailed it, and they’ve done a really good job. Even from a distance, the Tonale looks distinctly like an Alfa Romeo, thanks to the brand’s iconic ‘Scudetto’ front grille, as well as the unmistakable ‘teledial’ 19-inch alloy wheels. It carries a lot of the newer design touches that we saw in other Alfas as of late, too. For instance, there’s the Tonale’s unique lighting signature front to back, and that rear lightbar is especially good-looking. Of course, how can we forget the Tonale’s curvaceous Italian silhouette, which Alfa has cleverly masked into a boxy, crossover-y shape.
With the Veloce trim that we have here (more on that later), you get more gloss black finish throughout the exterior, most predominantly around the front grille, mirror caps, wheel arches, and side skirts. By far and away my favourite thing about the looks of the new Tonale is the Montreal Green paint. It glistens beautifully in the sun, with a slight metallic sheen to it. Being a plug-in hybrid, Alfa even paid close attention to the little things, like adding a tiny thunderbolt symbol alongside the Alfa Romeo ‘Biscione’ (aka, the serpent). All in all, it might take you a while to like the Tonale’s design, but it’s grown on me since.
How Does It Drive?
Here in the UK, the Alfa Romeo Tonale can be had either as a regular hybrid. Or, like our car here, you could also spec the plug-in hybrid model, as well. The latter pairs a 1.3-litre inline-4 engine alongside an electric motor. Altogether, you’re looking at a rather generous 280hp and 270Nm of torque in the Tonale, with power going through a 6-speed automatic transmission. That should net you a 0 to 62mph time of 6.2 seconds, and onto a top speed of 128mph. These are really good figures overall, given that Alfa’s stuffed all this power into a compact crossover. Furthermore, the Tonale features Alfa’s Q4 all-wheel drive system.
As such, the tiny MultiAir turbocharged engine exclusively powers the front wheels, just as the plug-in hybrid’s electric motor runs the rear axle. Now, if you want to further fine-tune how your Tonale drives, it does come with Alfa’s D-N-A drive mode selector… Basically, you get sport (D), normal (N), and eco (A), and these do help to change up the character of the Tonale depending on what you’re feeling. Or, if you’d like to carve up a nice stretch of road. In the sportier settings, it can aid in sharpening up your Tonale’s transmission, suspension, steering, and throttle. As a result, it makes for a more responsive driving experience and keeps it a tad more sensitive to your input.
Meanwhile, if you switch the DNA selector to the ‘A’ setting (for ‘Advanced Efficiency’), this is your electric-only drive mode. It thus turns off the Tonale’s engine, propelling you solely on the 15.5kWh battery pack and that rear-mounted motor alone. Still, no matter how much you turn that DNA dial, it doesn’t change the fact that the Alfa Romeo Tonale is a tall-riding crossover, not a hot hatch. However, at least you can up the excitement level by a notch or two if you want to. Speaking of, that DNA drive mode selector also contains the Tonale’s adaptive suspension setting. It kind of works like Ferrari’s ‘bumpy road’ mode, allowing you to either harden or soften the suspension at will.
Additionally, there’s a new drive mode in town; Alfa’s E-Save feature. When activated, you’re basically telling the Tonale’s plug-in hybrid powertrain to either maintain or conserve some battery charge left. Or, you can tell it to recharge the battery on the go, by using the internal combustion engine as a generator. This is handy if you’re just cruising on the motorway, for example, but you want to slowly build up battery charge to then drive in all-electric mode when you’re inching your way into a town or city. Besides, it’s these urban jungles and metropolitan areas where it’s way more efficient to rely on electric propulsion as you’re trudging along in slow-moving traffic, or are going bumper-to-bumper.
Overall, it’s safe to say that I had a good time behind the wheel of the new, hybridised Alfa Romeo Tonale. It might look like any other crossover SUV, but it’s still an Alfa Romeo underneath. They definitely know a thing or two about making fun, exciting, soulful, and engaging cars that handle well and have enough power to put a smile on your face. And, when you put it in manual-shifting mode, the Tonale is superbly enjoyable, just letting you row through the gears, with those cold metal paddle shifters clicking away. With that in mind, don’t let that hybrid system distract you from the fact that you’re still playing around with a rev-happy engine and a slick transmission.
Of course, you can’t expect hot hatch or sports saloon levels of agility and athleticism, but for a crossover, I’m pleasantly surprised with how nimble the Tonale is. It has sufficient dynamism to keep you entertained. Also, like most other Alfa Romeos and sporty Italian cars, the Tonale has that typically sharp, direct steering that is rather light and numb at first. But, it’s really fast to turn the Tonale on a sixpence, and it might take some getting used to, as it makes any car feel a lot smaller and more agile than it really is.
What Is It Like Inside?
I do quite enjoy Alfa’s interior styling, with as much flair as you’d expect out of an Italian car, from the art deco layout to the subtle homage to old-school Alfa Romeo designs. Even simple things, like the super-comfy seats and the stitching that holds them together, make spending time inside the Tonale a bit more theatrical. A noteworthy, driver-focused addition is those aforementioned paddle shifters. They’re incredibly tactile to use and feel appropriately cold and solid to the touch. On top of that, just in case you forgot where the Tonale is from, there’s no less than at least one Italian flag inside the Tonale, up front and centre.
Crucially, I also like that the Tonale’s interior is very conventional, eschewing complete minimalism and sci-fi quirks in lieu of many hard, physical buttons and switches. You even get a more conventional (and thus, very familiar) gear lever, with all the analogue knobs you could want. That includes a surprisingly nice knurled metal volume dial, and that large drive mode selector. Aside from that, the multi-function steering wheel has a lot of chunky physical buttons, including a large, prominent start-stop button, which adds to the drama any time you step inside.
The only thing I would’ve wanted is to have a bit more colour in here, as sitting inside the Tonale, particularly in this specific trim and spec, does feel like being inside of a black hole. A bit of red stitching and brightwork wouldn’t go amiss, frankly. Elsewhere, everything else that you need to control or fiddle with is hidden away inside the Tonale’s 10.25-inch infotainment system. Though it might look like yesterday’s tech compared to the gargantuan iPad-like displays you’ve seen in some other cars, in the Tonale, it’s functional enough for all your satnav or multimedia needs. Crucially, it’s very intuitive and easy to use, so that’s a plus. Meanwhile, there’s another screen right in front of you, a really nice 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, tucked behind an almost traditional-looking instrument binnacle.
The interior of the Alfa Romeo Tonale is not without its downsides, however. One of the few times you wish you had upgraded over to the bigger, fuller-sized Stelvio is when you need to step into the rear seats. As you might be able to tell, when the front seats are pushed all the way back to my preferred driving position, there is just barely enough legroom and knee room for anyone sitting in the back of the Tonale. But then again, I’m quite a bit taller than most people, so you might not experience the same issues. At the very least, you do get a sizeable boot space in the back; certainly very competitive for a compact crossover.
The Experience
As is expected for a plug-in hybrid, the Tonale can drive solely on electric power alone. Nevertheless, with its relatively small battery, you can’t really do a whole lot of miles in it. Officially, Alfa claims that you could go as far as 38 miles with a full charge before the engine kicks back in. That isn’t too bad for a plug-in hybrid and a car of this class, but in the real world, its effective electric-only range should be way less. For some of you, if your regular commute or day-to-day drive demands fewer than 40 miles at a time, the engine may as well not be there, before you’d need to top the battery back up at the end of the day. With a full tank of fuel and a 100% battery charge, the Tonale plug-in hybrid could manage up to 372 miles of driving range.
All the while, the Tonale PHEV is barely emitting any CO2 emissions, as low as 30g/km. To help expand your electric-only range, you could leverage Alfa’s E-Coasting system, aiding you in recovering energy and putting all that back into the battery, as you’re coasting or slowing down. It subsequently works in concert with the Tonale’s regenerative braking system, recuperating even more energy as you’re braking. If the battery pack does run out, plugging in your Alfa Romeo Tonale into a 7.4kWh charger should fully top it up in around 2.5 hours or thereabouts.
Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce PHEV Cost
As you see it here, our Tonale PHEV with the Veloce trim comes in at £54,195. That’s inclusive of some extras tacked on, but that’s still a pretty penny. For context, and focusing solely on the plug-in hybrid versions of the Tonale, the entry-level Sprint trim comes in at £43,495, while the mid-tier Veloce trim starts from £48,495. In addition, the top-of-the-range Tributo trim will set you back a hefty £51,995, at the minimum. On the upside, you do get a lot of stuff as standard on the base-tier Sprint model. If you want to upgrade to the mid-spec Veloce trim, like ours here, it nets you extra goodies like a larger set of 19-inch alloy wheels, or electric 8-way adjustable driver and passenger seats.
Optionally, you could also tack on extra options such as heated leather seats, ventilated front seats, column-mounted aluminium paddle shifters, and chrome exhaust tips. Aside from these, you then get red-painted brake callipers, a heated steering wheel, and a dual-stage valve (DSV) suspension system. If you really want to go all out, you could alternatively spec the Tributo trim. This gains you an even larger set of 20-inch alloy wheels, ambient interior lighting, and film-carbon upholstery. Besides that, you get a body colour painted body kit, a hands-free power tailgate, a Harman Kardon sound system, and leather seats, with pretty cool stitching!
Verdict
Though some might consider the pricing of the new Alfa Romeo Tonale plug-in hybrid a tad steep when you consider the competition that it’s up against, and what they instead offer in return… Alfa Romeo does try to justify the Tonale’s price point with more than enough compelling features. That added expense gets you a bit more horsepower from the factory, as well as the compact crossover-SUV form factor, in addition to that plug-in hybrid powertrain. And, most importantly, you’re paying a premium for the legendary Alfa Romeo name and badge to go with it. Is that all really worthwhile the extra cash, though?
Alas, it’s up to you to figure that out. Personally, I can definitely see a lot of appeal for a car like the Tonale, with its eye-catching Italian styling, practical form factor, and illustrious branding. Despite what some petrolheads might consider a sell-out, Alfa Romeo has shown us that you can make a crossover that’s both interesting and special, as well as being super fun to drive. I can absolutely appreciate the magic that Alfa’s bestowed into any car they touch, just like the Tonale. As such, if you’re looking for a crossover SUV that isn’t just another cookie-cutter product, the Alfa Romeo Tonale is an attractive left-field package.
Specification
Alfa Romeo Tonale Veloce PHEV Specs
- Price: £54,195
- Engine: 1.3-litre inline-4 with PHEV
- Power: 280hp
- Torque: 270Nm
- Transmission: 6-speed automatic
- 0-62mph: 6.2 seconds
- Top speed: 128mph
- Weight: 1,910kg
- Economy combined: 217.3mpg
- CO2: 29g/km